The PG-rated family fantasy, which follows a small creature stranded on Earth, grossed an impressive $435.1 million globally during its initial 1982 release.

“E.T.” was immediately embraced by the masses, and that instant success erased any fears that the film would be a disaster, as some had predicted.

I interviewed Spielberg when he came to New York City to show critics the film. It was one of the very few times I ever heard film critics sniffling and fighting back tears at the emotional end of the film.

My interview was published June 6, 1982, and it’s being presented again to celebrate the arrival of this beautifully rendered anniversary edition of “E.T.”

n n n

NEW YORK — If a flying saucer lands in the United States, President Reagan shouldn’t be the one to greet its occupants.

Steven Spielberg should.

No filmmaker has done more to promote the idea that beings from galaxies far, far away can be friends, not foes.

Other directors made pictures such as “The Thing From Another World” (1951) and “Invaders From Mars” (1953), which promoted the idea of fighting with otherworldly creatures; this 34-year-old director-writer-producer contemplated the thought of peacefully interacting with them.

With “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” Spielberg created a marvelous motion-picture experience as he unfolded a mystical — almost spiritual — tale of man’s first contact with space beings. The picture, which was hailed by no less a science-fiction authority than Ray Bradbury, touched the hearts and minds of people across the globe as it earned more than $250 million.

But now comes something simpler, and in some ways even more important, than “Close Encounters”: Spielberg’s newest creation — “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial.”

In this rousing motion picture, made for a paltry $10.3 million, a young boy befriends an interplanetary visitor who’s accidentally stranded in the California suburbs when his fellow aliens must flee from some pesky earthlings.

Like an affable grandparent spinning a tale to youngsters before bedtime, Spielberg offers a wonderful warm story that touches just about every emotion and leaves the viewer drained, yet exhilarated.

Asked for his description of “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” after a preview showing, Spielberg stroked his beard, smiled and said: “I consider ‘E.T.’ a love story, most definitely. I made the movie because I wanted to feel again. I had been kind of numbed by all of the epic movies (‘1941,’ ‘Jaws,’ ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’) I made. I was being desensitized.

“I essentially made ‘E.T.’ for adults who want to feel like kids again.”

To create an oppressive effect, Spielberg used an unusual amount of subjective camera work.

“All of the grown-ups are terrifying to E.T.,” the director noted. “I show everything from the point of view of E.T. For a long time, the viewer thinks a disaster is going to happen at the hands of adults because the audience sees them the way E.T. does.”

Although it appears obvious that similarities exist between “E.T.” and “Close Encounters,” Spielberg good-naturedly brushed off any such suggestions.

“I don’t think ‘E.T.’ has anything to do with ‘Close Encounters,’ ” he said. “There are some emotional similarities in that you feel something, but this is meant to be the first love story between a kid (named Elliott and played by Henry Thomas) and a 1,000-year-old extraterrestrial. ‘Close Encounters’ and ‘E.T.’ are also both spiritual films. That’s the only thing they have in common in my mind. ‘E.T.’ is really the first film I made which is more about character than spectacle.”

The filmmaker did admit that “E.T.” does have some parallels with his own life.

“I was an outsider, not a popular boy,” he recalled. “I was always the last person to be picked for the team. The only thing I could do for esteem was to make 8-millimeter movies. (In the story, Elliott’s association with E.T. makes him the neighborhood hero.) I think the only reason I began making movies was because I wasn’t popular.

“Elliott’s a normal, everyday kid growing up in arcades, playing Asteroids, Galaxy and Pac-Man. He’s at that stage where he’s just bored with everything around him. He watches a lot of television, doesn’t read, is starting to look at girls — older girls 11 or 12. He’s starting to have feelings like I had when I was 10 or 11 years old. Elliott’s not me, but he’s the closest thing to my experiences in my life growing up in suburbia.”

Spielberg was reluctant to give away any of the secrets of how E.T. — which is part puppet, part mechanical and created by Carlo Rambaldi — worked.

“It took 12 hearts to make E.T. live,” he said laughing. “That’s all I’ll say.”

However, he did talk about how he designed the creature, which looks like a young Yoda.

“I first envisioned the planet he came from and having heavy gravity which caused him to evolve in a plump way. He’s made of flesh and blood but also part plant life. I never wanted the audience to think we had an actor in a costume, which is why I designed the creature with a neck (which is capable of telescoping).

“E.T. is probably the most successful special effect I’ve ever worked with, including ‘Jaws’ and ‘Close Encounters.’ It worked during the testing, and it worked every day during production. I always felt he was able to perform just about every emotion I needed.”

Spielberg’s eyes lit up when he talked about his young performers.

“Kids are more consistent and, I think, in many ways are more spontaneous than adults, because they haven’t learned to censor things yet. They haven’t gotten to the age where they know it’s not right to say something just because it’s not socially acceptable,” he said. “So they say what comes into their minds first. If I can get it (their lack of inhibition) on the first take, then all these happy mistakes make the film a lot more spontaneous.

“You never talk down to kids! The minute you start talking down to kids, you’re really aware of the cosmic changes this generation has made compared to my generation or my parents’ generation. It’s like night and day. Kids are so much more worldly wise at 10 than I ever was at 16, and that’s a pretty large jump.

“I’ve found it’s much better with a young actor to be direct with him and tell him exactly what you want and why you want it. If you start talking about ‘what’s my motivation?’ to a kid, he wants to cut right through it. He gets antsy, he starts looking down at his feet, he starts walking around in circles. He listens to you, but he’s only listening to the salient things he thinks you want him to hear regarding the scenes about to be played.”

And what was the film’s original title?

“Initially, I planned to call it ‘E.T. & Me.’ George Lucas loved the title and told me not to change it, but I thought it was a childish title. I really only wanted the ‘E.T.’ part.”

Postscript: Those who would like to experience “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” on the big screen will have that opportunity.

At 2 and 7 p.m. Wednesday, “TCM Presents ‘E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial’ 30th Anniversary Event” will take place at theaters across the country.

The event will include Drew Barrymore, who will talk about playing the scene-stealing character of Gertie, and TCM host Ben Mankiewicz will host an introduction.

For theaters, prices and other information, go to www.FathomEvents.com.

Lou Gaul is the film critic for Calkins Media. Phone: 609-871-8055.

Email: lgaul@phillyburbs.com.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.

Advertise

Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted.
The Intelligencer ~ One Oxford Valley, 2300 East Lincoln Highway, Suite 500D, Langhorne, PA, 19047 ~ Privacy Policy ~ Terms Of Service